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Best-Performing 'BRIC' ETFs

Richard Widows

The 10 BRIC-related funds in the accompanying table each made it into the top 6% of the performance array of the 676 ETFs tracked by TheStreet.com Ratings, with gains in the 12%-18% range for the month.

Investor interest in BRIC funds, aroused by sector-leading performances in 2007, has ebbed somewhat in recent months. But the impressive April returns by ETFs that invest in the BRIC nations showed they still have plenty of life left in them.

Three of the funds on the list, as indicated by the word BRIC in their names, invest in all the four countries. The three with "China" embedded in their respective names focus on the largest of the BRIC countries. They include the leading performer on the list for month, the SPDR S&P China ETFGXC, which jumped 17.97% in April.

GXC was closely followed by the largest fund in the group, the iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index FundFXI, with total net assets of close to $6 billion. FXI rewarded its holders with an advance for the month of 17.50%.

The pair of Brazil-focused ETFs in the group includes the $4.4 billion iShares MSCI Brazil Index FundEWZ, which gained 17.25% for April and is up 18.08% for the past three months. The other Brazilian ETF, HOLDRS TeleBrasTBH, moved ahead 14.18% in April.

Also included in the table is an ETF that invests in the BRIC nation of India and one with "Chindia" -- China plus India -- investment portfolio. The First Trust ISE Chindia Index FundFNI gained 16.65% in April.

Of six funds on the list with sufficient histories for computations of grades by TheStreet.com Ratings, the Claymore/BNY BRIC ETFEEB led the class with the highest possible mark of A+. It was kept company by three funds with grades in the "B" range as "buy" recommended by TheStreet.com Ratings.

The iPath MSCI India Index ETNINP rated a mark of C-, which equates with a "hold" recommendation, while the relatively volatile HOLDRS TeleBras fund was graded E- for a "sell" advisory.